Member news & views | SEPTEMBER 2021
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Note from the GM
With much of the country in level 2, we can again turn our attention to some of our major events. In less than a month it will be Labour Weekend and we have high hopes that Orienteering Bay of Plenty and Taupo Orienteering Club will be able to host the Tūāraki (Northern) Regional Champs. In the meantime discussions about the viability of club events, major national events, and national trials are all furiously taking place. In comparison with 2020, we are running more events nationally. I would like to think that we are adapting as a sport.
this issue we outline a new focus on Sprint Orienteering and look at a couple of events including Hutt Valley’s Big Trig Event which celebrates 30years of Rogaine in New Zealand. We also share a great interview of ONZ Chairperson Peter Swanson courtesy of Southland Orienteering Club.
Ngā Mihi
Christo Peters | ONZ General Manager
027 714 0915
gm@orienteering.org.nz
View from the chair
The last few weeks I seem to have been a magnet for anything to do with rules. Before I go into this, I have to declare that I’m not a massive proponent of having lots of rules – my philosophy, partly developed through my work as a business consultant, but also having a father who was a little anti-authoritarian, is that you should have just enough rules and no more. I have come across too many organisations that have become bound up in red tape and bureaucracy and stopped performing well to know that rules, policies, standards all need to be held in balance with the ability to use judgement and principles as the basis for sound decisions. Continue reading…
Increased ONZ focus on Sprint Orienteering
Quite apart from the fact that no New Zealand based orienteers have had the chance for any international representation for the last 2 years, the Covid-induced pause has also brought more starkly into focus the split of the World Championships (WOC) into separate sprint and forest events in alternate years.
As a result, ONZ has been looking at where it is most likely that we can make an impact on the world stage. Looking at recent results at JWOC, and Tim Robertson’s results at the last two sprint WOCs, it is hard not to come to the conclusion that the key avenue for success on the World Stage lies in sprint discipline of orienteering. Continue reading…
High Performance Update – World Cup Round 2
The second round of the 2021 IOF World Cup took place around Idre Fjäll, Sweden, some 250 km to the north-west of Stockholm. Once again New Zealand was represented in the two individual races, a long distance and a middle distance, by only Tim Robertson and Toby Scott. They were joined for the relay by Henry McNulty to form a joint Australia/New Zealand team. The hilly terrain at an altitude of 630-880m above sea level was studded with rocks, crossed by multiple marshes, and featured a mix of highly detailed and bland area. Continue reading…
Understanding our membership
Last month we started to have a look at some of the information generated from enrollments on our national membership database. In part one we learnt that there was a significant interest in rogaine events with nearly half our members expressing an interest in a discipline which currently makes up 14% of the events offered nationally. We also found that nearly 63% of members have been involved in our sport for 5 or fewer years.
This issue we look at involvement in other sports and where in the world our members originate from.
Club forum
A reminder that this year’s club forum will take place via Zoom at 7:30pm on Tuesday 26th October. All club members are welcome. The topic this year is forum is Volunteering in Orienteering. If you are interested in attending, please register your interest.
Updated ONZ guidelines for club events at level 2
ONZ’s Council have approved an updated version of the Guidelines for Clubs running events at level 2. These have been re-written to provide clearer information to help ensure the safety of participants and event organizers.
Downloadable copies of both updated ONZ Covid19 documents can be found on our dedicated Covid-19 webpage.
We will continue to update our alert level information in accordance with Government changes to alert level guidelines.
Interview with ONZ Chairperson Peter Swanson
This month Southland Orienteering Club’s (SOC’s) fantastic newsletter featured an interview with ONZ’s Chairperson which was well worth sharing. Thank you to Sally Duston for allowing us to share this great interview. In the interview Peter shares insights into his involvement in Orienteering as well as ONZ’s structure. Well worth a read! Click here to read the article.
The full Southland September Newsletter can be found here.
Tūāraki (Northern) Regional Champs are nearly here!
Orienteering Bay of Plenty and Taupo Orienteering Club are still planning to run the Tūāraki (Northern) Regional Champs at Labour Weekend 2021.
The events will go ahead if Auckland and the rest of the Northern region are all in Level 2 or lower at the date of the event. Read on…
The Big Trig – Orienteering Hutt Valley Celebrate 30yrs of Rogaine in NZ
In 1991 Orienteering Hutt Valley ran New Zealand’s first rogaine. Over time events worked up to 24hr rogaine classics and the popular 3hr after-work format was created.
To mark 30 years of rogaining in New Zealand, Orienteering Hutt Valley’s Big Trig will be run between Fri 10th and Sun 12th Dec 2021. The event will consist of FIVE rogaines over a weekend. There’s a 1hr, a 2hr and a 3hr, these are very much like the popular after-work rogaines. There’s a 4-hour that goes into the night. And a 5-hour which will exhaust any strength left in your muscles!
Do one, or do them all. Pick and choose; or rest and recharge. League table across all events. Special offering for adventure racers: string together the 3 Saturday rogaines with bike travel.
For more information read the event website or contact the event organiser for more details. Entries are due Fri 3rd December 2021.
Oceania Update – Entries now open!
Hi everyone,
We’re excited to open entries for Oceania Champs 2022, and release Bulletin 1 which provides more detail about each of the events. The Nelson, Marlborough, Dunedin and Peninsula and Plains (Christchurch) orienteering clubs have combined forces to plan an awesome week of orienteering for you. Get your entry in and book your summer holiday now!
It goes without saying we’re all keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll be orienteering together in the South Island come January. Read on…
What is your national Council up to?
At the September ONZ Council meeting, Council discussed WOC and World Cup qualification contingencies should Oceania not go ahead. ONZ Performance Leader Malcolm Ingham presented to Council regarding the need to provide an increased focus on Sprint Orienteering. Part of Malcolm’s presentation was a plan to introduce a national sprint series for 2022, something Council was supportive of. Council also discussed and approved updates to the ONZ guidelines for clubs running events at level Covid Level two.
All approved ONZ minutes can be accessed here.
How can we help? Me pēhea mātou e āwhina ai?
If you have a particular topic you are looking for on orienteering? Try browsing the search function on the ONZ website or search for an area under news and views in the main menu at the top of the page – you may find what you need. If you have an enquiry about the sport, do get in touch via any of our media below or email us here
Happy orienteering! Editorial deadline:
We love to read about all kinds of navigation events from every corner of NZ. We are keen for news and updates from places we cannot get to. So do share your passion with photos, events, links, and info about your club. Send something in by the 20th day of the month so it can be published at the end of the month
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